Do children need ritual in their lives?
For all you parents.....or anyone who was ever a child.....
by Surreptitious 28 Replies latest jw friends
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StinkyPantz
Yes.
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arrowstar
What Stinky said..!!
Yes..they do
Lisa
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cruzanheart
Definitely. Just try telling "The Tale of Peter Rabbit" a different way and see what happens. Children need ritual to assure them that all is right in their little worlds, but an occasional spontaneous thing, like ice cream BEFORE dinner, can be really exciting! (For the kids, of course.)
Nina
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jst2laws
Yes,
But for reasons I would have snorted at a short time ago.
Author Karen Armstrong documents the BS in man made religion and human history better than anyone I have read and yet acknowledges the vital part 'ritual' has played in history and our persuite of spirituality.
If you want more from me you will have to look me up and talk over coffee.
Jst2laws
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SixofNine
Perhaps, but probably not nearly to the extent that everyone else in this thread thinks they do .
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Aztec
Yes yes yes! Children thrive on schedules, their parents do not! Interesting question Syrup. ;-)
~Aztec
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Big Tex
Perhaps, but probably not nearly to the extent that everyone else in this thread thinks they do .
Okay Six, don't make me unleash a truculent 9 year old on you!
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Lady Lee
Main Entry: 1 rit·u·al
Pronunciation: 'ri-ch&-w&l, -ch&l; 'rich-w&l
Function: adjective
Etymology: Latin ritualis, from ritus rite
Date: 1570
1 : of or relating to rites or a ritual : ceremonial <a ritual dance>
2 : according to religious law or social custom <ritual purity>
- rit·u·al·ly adverbMain Entry: 2 ritual
Function: noun
Date: 1649
1 : the established form for a ceremony; specifically : the order of words prescribed for a religious ceremony
2 a : ritual observance; specifically : a system of rites b : a ceremonial act or action c : a customarily repeated often formal act or series of actsMain Entry: 1 rou·tine
Pronunciation: rü-'tEn
Function: noun
Etymology: French, from Middle French, from route traveled way
Date: 1676
1 a : a regular course of procedure <if resort to legal action becomes a campus routine -- J. A. Perkins> b : habitual or mechanical performance of an established procedure <the routine of factory work>
2 : a reiterated speech or formula <the old "After you" routine -- Ray Russell>
3 : a worked-out part (as of an entertainment or sports contest) that may be often repeated <a dance routine> <a gymnastic routine>; especially : a theatrical number
4 : a sequence of computer instructions for performing a particular taskMain Entry: 2 rou·tine
Pronunciation: rü-'tEn, 'rü-"
Function: adjective
Date: 1817
1 : of a commonplace or repetitious character : Ordinary
2 : of, relating to, or being in accordance with established procedure <routine business>
- rou·tine·ly adverbMy first response to the question was they don't need ritual but they do need routine. Then I wondered what was the difference.
Based on the definitions I would hold to my initial thought. I think children do best with routine. That was something that really bothered me about meeting nights I used to like my children going to bed at 8:30ish when they had school the next day. It was so hard to keep them on a regular schedule with one night late - one night early
As for the ritual part --- hmmm I think they need values and morals but there are other ways to get those other than following a religious ritual. Heck it's the same old same old all the time. They aren't even learning anything at a KH
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Surreptitious
LL, thanks for the definitions. My question most closely relates to "ritual" definition 2/2/c. You're right, perhaps routine is a better word, however "ritual" seems to capture the more subtle sense. In other words, I'm wondering if children need a sense of 'ritual" in their "routines".
Syrup